Holder for storage of cups



Oct. 18, 1966 J.M1NTz 3,279,514

HOLDER FOR STORAGE OF CUPS Filed March 3l, 1964 INVENTOR. M7960@ /V//V7`Z United States Patent yO :3,279,514 HOLDER FOR STORAGE F CUPS Jacob Mintz, Fall River, Mass., assgnorto Seal Sac, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Mar. 31, 1964,Ser. No. 356,235 3 Claims. (Cl. 150.-52)

This invention relates to a holder or container for household storage of cups when not in use.

It is already known to provide a generally cylindrical cup holder having a large number of approximately radial liexible partitions between vwhich cups may be stored when not in use. The object of the present invention is to generally improve such cup holders. There is advan- :tage in making the same of a soft flexible material, but such a cup holder does not support ka superposed load except by means of the ring of cups. In accordance with one feature and object of the present invention, I provide a concealed member which acts as a cover-supporting strut at -the center of the holder.

A further object is to facilitate manufacture of the cupV holder, and more particularly to so design the parts of the same that they may be assembledby stitching on sewing machines.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the cup holder elements and their relation one to another as are hereinafter more particularly described in the specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which: j

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the cup holder wit-h the cover open;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section through part of the cup holder with parts broken away; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary .horizontal section taken ap- -proximatelyrin the plane of the line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the cup holder comprises a cylindrical wall 12 joined at its lower edge 14 to a circular bottom, and closed at the top by means of an openable circular cover 16. There are a large number of radial exible partititons 18, 20, etc., each secured at its outer end to a cylindircal wall, and each secured at its inner end inV a manner described later. In preferred form,gthe cover 16 is releasably connected to the cylindircal wall 12 by -means of a slide fas-v tener, the upper Stringer ofwhich is indicated at 22, and the lower Stringer at .24, lthe slider being shown at 26. A hinge for the cover is provided at 28, this preferably consisting of a pieceof fabric disposed ybetween the ends of the slide fastener.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawing, a main feature of the present invention is the provision of a concealed upright stiff member 30 which -has a length such as to constitute a cover-supporting strut at the center of the cup holder and its cover 16. In the form here shown, the strut 30 is within a liexible fabric tube 32, and there is a button 34 over the upper end of the tube, and another button 36 at the lower end of the tube. 'Ihe member 30 then is connected between the buttons 34 and 36.

Considering the arrangement in greater detail, the cylindrical outer wall 12 is preferably a flexible fabric wall. The bottom 40 may be made of similar fabric, but preferably is stiifened as by means of a circular cardboard 42, and the latter is preferably surfaced at the top by means of a layer of soft sponge rubber or plastic foam or equivalent padding 44. This pad is itself surfaced with a thin fabric 46, typically a piece of white plastic sheet adhered to the pad 44 which is itself adhered to the cardboard 42. The walls 12 and 40 are preferably stitched together, as indicated at 48, and the seam may be concealed and strengthened by a binder or tape 50.

3,279,514 .Patented Oct. 18, 1966 ice The partitions, such as 18, are conveniently referred to as radial,'but the term is used loosely, and inV practice the fabric .is made longer than a radius and assumes a curvature as suggested iny FIGS. 1 and 3.

The cylindrical wall 12 is preferably-lined with a cylindrical liner 52, and the partitions are stitched at their outer ends to y,the liner 52, as indicated at 54 in FIG. 3. At their inner ends, the partitions are stitched to the uprightrexible tube'32,` as is indicated at 56 in FIG.` 3.

The tube 32 is preferablymade of a veryshort piece of material like that used for theliner and partitions, but having its ends stitched together, Yas shown at 58tov form the desired small-diameter tube. This is convenient for manufacture, in that the partitions may be preliminarily stitched to t-he fabric 32 while itis still flat. Usually there are twelve partitions to recieve a ,dozen cups, and they may be stitched in pairs at six lines of stitching distributed along the small piece of fabric, yas shown in FIG. 3.

The outer ends of the partitions are similarly stitched, one Vata time, at intervals along-the liner 52 while it is still a straight piece of fabric. This is done by twelve lines of stitching at uniform spacing. Binding tapes, not shown, are preferably used to conceal the raw edges at the ends of the partitions. Finally, the smallpiece of fabric is bent or closed into a circle and stitched at l58, and the relatively long liner 52 is bent into a circle or cylinder and its overlapping ends are stitched together with just the right amount of overlap -tofit snugly within the outer cylindrical wall 12.

The bottom stiffeningand padding assembly is inserted in the outer container before adding the partition assembly. The bottom assembly of the parts 42, 44, 46 may 4be simply pushed. down to the bottom of the container, following which the partition assembly is added and `stitched in place. vThis may include peripheral stitching at the top edge of the liner,-which stitching may also pass through the tape of the lower Stringer 24 of the slide Y fastener. Although not shown in the drawing, it may be mentioned that in all cases the top and bottom edges :of the material, including the liner 52 and the partitions, are bound in reversely -folded piping or tape to strengthen and improve the `finish of the same. Similar remark applies to the parts of the cover 16.

The button 34'is preferably a covered button having an eye l60. The button 36. is a rudimentary sheet metal button or disc having an edge ange, and an eye 62. The support member 30 is a piece of stiif metal Wire bent to form an eye 64 which is linked to the eye 62, and another eye 66 which is linked to the eye 60. This aiords flexibility when loading cups into the holder. The button 34 covers the center tube and conceals the Wire 30. It may be covered with a fabric which matches the lining and partitions.

The ystrut assembly at the center yof the holder is applied to the partition assembly before stitching the latter assembly inside the container. In one procedure, the st-rut assembly without the bottom button 36 is passed downward through the center tube 32, after which the button 36 is added and the legs of eye `62 are spread to anchor the assembly in position. This is readily done before the partition assembly is put into the outer shell of the holder.

It will be understood that the terms cylindrical, circular, and radial are all used in only a general or approximate sense. The term fabric does not necessarily mean a textile or woven fabric, and indeed in this eld of manufacture it is much more comm-on to use plastic sheet material. Such materials are made with an youter and inner lamination, and crossed lines of indentations which simulate stitching to produce a quilted appearance. The outer lamination is usually given a colored textile appearance, and the inner lamination -may be white to encourage cleanliness. The -raw edges are all bound in tape, except at the inner ends of the4 partitions, which are concealed even Without tape.

It is believed that the construction and method of assembly of my improved cup holder, as well as the advantages thereof, will lbe apparent from the foregoing detailedY description. The container helps protect china against chipping and -marring, as Well as from dust and dirt. The foam-padded base and the center strut provide extra protection without changing the flexible nature of the partitions, which adapt them to receive cups of different shape v or size.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims. In the claims the partitions are referred to broadly as secured to the cylindrical wall, although `for convenience they may be secured to a lining of that wall.

I claim:

1. A cupholder comprising a cylindrical fabric wall, a circular fabric -bottom joined at its outer edge to the cylindrical Wall, means stitening the said bottom, a soft flexible circular cover, a slide fastener for releasably connecting the cover to the cylindrical wall for most of the periphery of the cover, the remainder of the periphery actin-g as a hinge, a very short piece of material, a long piece of material, a large number of exible fabric partitions With `one of their ends secured at short intervals to the short piece of material, and secured at their other ends at longer intervals to the long piece of material, the ends of the short piece being attached to form an upright ilexible tube of small diameter -at the middle of the cupholder, the ends of the long piece-being attached to form a cylindrical lining for the cylindrical wall, with the aforesaid partitions then ybeing radial partitions, a stiff upright member in the tube, and means securing said lining to said cylindrical wall, said stiff upright member having a length such as to constitute a cover supporting strut at the center of the holder.

2. yA cupholder comprising a cylindrical fabric wall, a circular `fabric bottom joined at its outer edge to the cylindrical wall, means stifening the said bottom, a soft flexible circular cover, a slide vfastener for releasably connecting the cover to the cylindrical wall for most of the periphery of the cover, the remainder of the periphery acting as a hinge, a very short piece of material, a long piece of material, a large number of exible fabric partitions with one of their ends secured at short intervals to the short piece of material, and secured at their other ends at longer intervals to the long piece of material, the ends of the short piece being attached together to form an upright flexible tube of small diameter at the middle of the cupholder, the ends of the long piece being attached together to form a cylindrical lining for the cylindrical wall, with the aforesaid partitions then kbeing radial'partitions, a button at the lower end of the tube, a button over the upper end of the tube, -a stiff upright metal wiref in the tube secured at its lower end to the lower button and secured at its upper end to the upper button, 4and means securing said lining to said cylindrical wal1said wire having a length such as to constitute a cover supporting strut at the center of the holder.

3. A cupholder comprising a cylindrical fabric4 wall, a circular fabric-bottom joined at its outer edge to the cylindrical wall, means stiffening the said bottom, means padding the top ysurface of the stitfened bottom, a soft flexible circular cover, .a slide fastener `for releasably connecting the cover to the cylindrical wall for most of the periphery of the cover, the remainder of the periphery acting as a hinge, a very short piece of material, a long piece of material, a large number of flexible fabric partitions with one of their ends secured -at short intervals to the short piece of material, and secured at their other ends at longer intervals to the long piece of material, the ends of the short piece being attached together to form an upright flexible tube of small diameter at the middle `of thecupholder, the ends of the long piece being attached together to form a cylindrical lining for the `cylindrical wall, with the aforesaid partitions then being radial partitions, a iiat metal button at the lower end of the tube,- a covered button over the upper ends of the tube, both buttons having eyes, a stili upright metal wire in the tube, said wire being bent to form an eye at its lower end linked to the eye of the lower button and an eye at its upper end linked to the eye of the upper button, and means securing said lining to said cylindrical wall,` said wire having a length such as to constitute a cover supporting strut at the center of the holder.

References Cited `by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 904,571 ll/ 1908 Stokely. 1,178,981 4/1916 Willis 217`l8 X 1,267,346 5/1918 Edwardy 217-23 1,600,687 9/ 1926 Mantz 229.-15 2,138,451 ll/l938 Holmes 229-15 X 2,426,883 9/1947 Kartyshai r 229-15 X 3,051,307 8/196'2 Hoey et al. 206-65v 3,064,872 1l/ 1962 Skirow 229-15 3,189,074 6/ 1965 Schaefer. 150-52 `3,217,771 11/1965 Skirow et al. 150-52 FRANKLIN T. GARRE'lT, Primary Examiner, JOSEPH R.`LECLAIR, Examiner.

M. L. MINSK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CUPHOLDER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL FABRIC WALL, A CIRCULAR FABRIC BOTTOM JOINED AT ITS OUTER EDGE TO THE CYLINDRICAL WALL, MEANS STIFFENTING TO SAID BOTTOM, A SOFT FLEXIBLE CIRCULAR COVER, A SLIDE FASTENER FOR RELEASABLY CONNECTING THE COVER TO THE CYLINDRICAL WALL FOR MOST OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE COVER, THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIPHERY ACTING AS A HINGE, A VERY SHORT PIECE OF MATERIAL, A LONG PIECE OF MATERIAL, A LARGE NUMBER OF FLEXIBLE FABRIC PARTITIONS WITH ONE OF THEIR ENDS SECURED AT SHORT INTERVALS TO THE SHORT PIECE OF MATERIAL, AND SECURED AT THEIR OTHER ENDS AT LONGER INTERVALS TO THE LONG PIECE MATERIAL, THE ENDS OF THE SHORT PIECE BEIGN ATTACHED TO FORM AN UPRIGTH FLEXIBLE TUBE OF SMALL DIAMETER AT THE MIDDLE OF THE CUPHOLDER, THE ENDS OF THE LONG PIECE BEING ATTACHED TO FORM A CYLINDRICAL LINING FOR THE CYLINDRICAL WALL, WITH THE AFORESAID PARTITIONS THAN BEING RADIAL PARTITIONS, A STIFF UPRIGHT MEMBER IN THE TUBE, AND MEANS SECURING AND LINING TO SAID CYLINDRICAL WALL, SAID STIFF UPRIGHT MEMBER HAVING A LENGTH SUCH AS TO CONSTITUTE A COVER SUPPORTING STRUT AT THE CENTER OF THE HOLDER. 